Enoree man exposed to rabies from fox bite

Wednesday

Jun 12, 2013 at 9:26 PM

DHEC officials say a Spartanburg County man was bitten by a rabid fox.

From staff reports

DHEC officials say a Spartanburg County man was bitten by a rabid fox.The man was exposed to rabies in the Enoree area and is undergoing treatments after being bitten by the fox that tested positive for the disease, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control officials said in a written statement Wednesday.“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, we recommend that people avoid wild animals acting tame and tame animals acting wild,” said Sue Ferguson of DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health Services. “About 275 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year, with most exposures coming from bites or scratches by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. Wild animals carry the disease most often, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well.”Ferguson said state law requires pet owners to have their pets regularly vaccinated against the disease.“If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water,” she said. “Then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC.”There were 137 confirmed cases of animal rabies in South Carolina last year. There have been 52 confirmed cases in animals statewide this year, according to DHEC. The fox is the second to test positive this year from Spartanburg County.For more information about rabies, visit DHEC's webpage at http://www.scdhec.gov/rabies, or contact your local DHEC BEHS office. Additional information is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's rabies webpage: http://www.cdc.gov/rabies.